Phonograph disk



May 19, 1942. R. s.'DEcH PHoNoGRAPH DISK Filed June 24, 1941 2Sheets-Sheet l May 19, 1942. R, s, DEcH PHoNoGRAPH DISK Filed June 24,1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented May 19, 1942 PHON OGRAPH DISK Raymond S.Dech, Stamford, Conn., assignor to The Audio Manufacturing Corp.,Glenbrook, Conn., a corporation of Connecticut Application June 24,1941, Serial No. 399,501

16 Claims.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in phonographdisks and has particular although not necessarily exclusive relation toa sound record blank.

The objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from aconsideration of the following detailed description taken in connectionwith the accompanying drawings wherein satisfactory embodiments of theinvention are shown. However, it is to be understood that the inventionis not limited to the details disclosed but includes all such variationsand modiflcations as fall within the spirit of the invention and thescope of the appended claims.

In the drawings- Fig. 1 is a face view of a phonograph disk made inaccordance with the teaching of the invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail sectional view taken along the plane of theline 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a face view of an insert or plug used in Fig. 1 but on alarger scale;

Fig. 4 is a face view with a portion of a coating broken away, of thecentral portion of a phonograph disk having a modified insert therein;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 but showing another modification;

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 3 but showing a modification of theinsert;

Fig. 7 is a face View of a portion of a phonograph disk base comprisingan outer member and an insert or plug and suggesting a modified methodof making the phonograph disk of the invention; and

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 6 but showing a modification.

Referring in detail to the drawings and at first more particularly tothe form of the invention shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, a phonograph diskis generally designated II) and comprises a disk shaped base having oneither or both sides a coating II of lacquer adapted to have soundgrooves cut4 or engraved therein or having sound grooves therein. Thebase of the present phonograph disk includes a member I2, having arather large diameter opening I3 therethrough, and a plate-like insertI4 located in the inner portion of the member I2. y

Member I2 is of a frangible or fracturable material, as glass, andinsert I4 is of a material of a different nature, i. e., a softermaterial such that an opening may be punched therein without likelihoodof fracture of the material about such openingduring or following thepunching operation. Located in the plate or insert I4 is 55 a phonographdisk locating opening I5 of the desired diameter. This opening ispreferably punched as a nal operation in the making of disk I0 toprovide a clean opening in the desired relation to the outer edge or anyother portion of the disk.

As herein disclosed the lacquer coating Il is applied to both sides ofthe base although it is to be understood that the invention comprehendsa base coated on but one side. The lacquer coating is applied to theentire side or sides of the base, covering both the member I2 and theinsert I4.

Recorded phonograph disks do not carry sound grooves on their innercentral portions. One terminus of the sound groove is toward the outeredge of the disk and the other is radially spaced from the center of thedisk. In the case of a record blank this central space is not to berecorded on when the blank is vput into use. The space between suchcentral area (in either a record or a record blank) and the outerperipherial edge of the disk is the sound groove area. Opening I3 isinwardly of the sound groove area of disk I0. Such opening need not beconcentrically located in the member I2 and in addition may have roughirregular edges and may vary in diameter from one member to the next andneed not be perfectly circular.

In making my improved disk the opening I3 is formed in member I2 bycutting or drilling since (the member being of glass or other rigidbrittle substance) the opening cannot be punched without breaking of themember. After the opening has been formed one of the plates or insertsI4 is located in the opening. Fig. 3 shows one of the inserts alone,before use. Preferably the insert is formed of bre board, cardboard,metal (as brass) or the like although other materials of such naturethat they can be punched without fracture may be-used.

Owing to its ilatness, its smooth surface and its rigidity glass ispreferred for the making of the member I2. However, other materials maybe used. The use of fracturable or frangible materials in a phonographdisk base presents some problems that heretofore have restricted theiruse in such articles. Among the difculties not heretofore overcome wasthe making of a satisfactory or serviceable locating or mountingopening, as the turntable spindle receiving opening, in the phonographdisk.

To overcome the mentioned dimculty \I make the large opening I3 in thebrittle member I2 and then insert the plug or plate I4. Preferably thelatter is provided with slits I8 spaced equally and entering the insertfrom the edges thereof as shown best in Fig. 3. These slits arerelatively narrow and lend some resiliency to the insert whereby if theopening I3 is not exactly circular or has rough edges, or the like, theinsert may be sprung into place in the opening.

After the insert is located in the opening I3 the coating I I is appliedto the base. This coating is usually applied rst to one side of the baseand then to the other side thereof. The coating is continuous over eachside of the base, covering both the member I2 and the insert I4, andforms a seal between the edges of the member and insert and may enterslightly between such parts as suggested at I1 in Fig. 2. Further thecoating enters the silts I6 iilling the same and establishing aninterlocking connection between the insert and the coating.

After the coating has set, the locating opening I is punched through theinsert. Since the opening I5 may be made by punching, its dimensions canbe accurately controlled, and, if desired, may be made accuratelyconcentric with the entire disk. Because the coating is applied afterthe insert I4 is in place, the insert is not readily noticeable and isilrmly xed in the opening I3.

Member I2 may be of any desired diameter as for 8, 10, 12, 16, etc.,inch phonograph disks and is usually approximately one sixteenth of aninch in thickness. Opening |3is of the desired diameter and the insertsI4 are preferably of a diameter to have a fairly snug t in such opening.Slits I6 are in the neighborhood of .005

of an inch in width although this may depend on the diameter, thicknessand material of the insert used. 'Ihese slits extend into the inserts adistance such that the inserts have a certain degree of resiliency andmay be sprung into an opening of slightly smaller diameter or into ahole having rough edges or that is not perfectly round. The locatingopening I5 is of the desired diameter, generally about .284 of an inch.

Regardless of the outside diameter of the member I2 it is preferable tohave the openingIS of one diameter so that inserts I4 of but onediameter need be made up and kept on hand for all diameters ofphonograph disks. As the locating opening I5 is punched in the otherwisefinished disk it will be apparent that such hole may always be made inthe desired location relative to the outer edge of the disk. One of theobjects of the insert |4 is to have rigidly fixed within the soundgroove area of a phonograph disk a material that may be punched toprovide the locating opening I5. In this connection it may be noted thatthe base member I2 is of what may be described as an unpunchablematerial while the insert I4 is of a punchable material.

Referring to the modification of Fig. 4 the phonograph disk 20, of whichbut a portion is there shown, comprises a base including a member 2|having a relatively large diameter opening 22 therethrough and in whichis located a plate or insert 23. Opening 22 and plate 23 are inwardly ofthe sound groove area of the disk 20. Member 2| is of glass or the likeas in the case of the member I2 above described and insert 23 is of amaterial of the nature of that of the insert I4. In addition insert 23is provided with slits 24 for the same purpose as the slits I6 of insertI4. Lacquer coatings 25 are applied tri) iter or both sides of the baseoi phonograph d s The lacquer coatings 2i cover the Insert 23 as well asthe member 2| and the lacquer enters into the slits 24 whereby theinsert is securely fixed to the member 2|. Insert 23 in addition tohaving a central locating opening 23 has three other locating openings21. All of these openings are formed, as by punching, as a nnaloperation in the manufacture o! the disk 20.

To accommodate the extra openings 21 insert 23 may be made of largerdiameter than the insert I4 although the diameter of these elements is amatter of convenience or choice. Some phonograph turntables, in additionto the usual central spindle, are provided with an extra pin or withextra pins, eccentrically located. These are designed to enter eccentricopenings in a phonograph disk and establish a positive drivingconnection between the disk and the turntable. Any desired number andlocations of the mounting openings 21 may be provided for cooperationwith such extra pin or extra pins of a turntable. However, it will beunderstood that while a number of the locating openings 21-28 may beused on one turntable the same disk when applied to another turntablemay have in use only one such opening.

In the modification of Fig. 5 the phonograph disk 30, only the centralportion of which is shown, comprises a base including a member 3| havinga plurality of relatively large diameter openings 32, 33 and 34 thereinand in each of which is located a plate or insert 35. All the openings32, 33 and 34 are inwardly of the sound groove area of the disk 30.Inserts 35 are provided with slits 36 and the member 3| and the inserts35 are of the materials and are treated and assembled as in the case ofthe member and the insert I4 first above described.

After the inserts 35 have been disposed in the openings 32, 33 and 34the base thus formed is coated on either or both sides with a covering31 of lacquer. This covering extends over the member and the inserts,enters the slits 36 and securely seals the inserts in place. Followingthe coating operation one or more locating openings 38 are punched ineach of the inserts or plates 35.

The relation of the inserts to one another is as desired and to adaptthe disk 30 for use with any desired turntable or turntables. Forexample, one insert may be so disposed that its opening 38 is concentricwith the outer periphery of the disc 30 to receive the central spindleof a turntable while the other inserts have their openings 33 locatedfor cooperation with eccentrically located driving pins on suchturntable.

Fig. 6 sugggests a slight modification of insert, generally designated40 and comprising a plate or body 4| of fibre board, cardboard, metal orthe like, having its outer edge roughened as by being milled or serratedas at 42. 'I'he body 40 having an uneven or roughened edge may be forcedinto an opening in a base member of glass or other fracturable materialand will retain itself in place while a lacquer coating is being appliedto seal it in place. Insert 40 having a broken or interrupted edge, asin the cases of inserts |4, 23 and 35, portions of the lacquer coatingwill iiow into the milled slots or serrations securely locking theinsert to the coating. Thus insert 40 may be substituted for any of theinserts I4, 23 and 25 and after the coating operation is completed thepunching operation is performed to provide the insert with one or morelocating openings as will be understood.

In Fig. '7 the phonograph disk is generally designated 45 and includes amember 48 of glass or other fracturable material having a relativelylarge diameter opening 41 therethrough and into which loosely fits asolid insert 48. Insert 48 is of a.material having the characteristicsmentioned when considering insert I4.

When the insert has no slit ox' has no milled or serrated edge, or hasno resiliency, it is'made smaller to have a loose nt in the opening inmember 46. In such instances a piece of tape or the like 49 is appliedto the underside of the base and insert and keeps the latter in placewhile the lacquer coating is being applied to the upper side of themember and insert. Thereafter the base is reversed and the adhesive tapeor the like may be left in place or removed and the second side of thebase is coated in the usual manner. If the tape 49 is thin it may beleft in place and it will be completely covered by the lacquer coating.Some of the coating material will flow into the slight space between theinsert and the edges of the opening 41 and the insert will be eiectivelysealed in place. Thereafter the locating openings or opening, as thecase may be, are punched in the insert 48.

Fig. 8 shows an insert, generally designated 50, of modifiedconstruction which may be substituted for any of the inserts heretoforedescribed. Insert 50 is a `disk relieved along a portion of its edgewhereby it is not a true circle but has a slightly greater diameteralong the line A-B than along the line C-D. That is, over a considerablearc as suggested by the distance between the dotted line I and the fullline 52, the disk is relieved.

For example, Where the disk has a diameter along the line A-B of 750inch it has been found satisfactory to reduce it over an arc ofapproximately 120 degrees to have its diameter along the line C-Dapproximately .740 inch. 'I'hese dimensions are only suggested and arenot to be considered as limiting the invention in any way.

A slit 53 is formed in the disk and extends in the. direction of theshort diameter thereof entering from one edge and preferably extendingmore than one-half the distance across the disk. Owing to the presenceand location of the slit 53 the disk 50 may have its diameter along theinto an opening which is not truly circular or which is of a diameterless than that of the disk when measured along the line A-B and that thedisk will hold itself in place in an opening into which it has beeninserted. Disk 50 has certain manufacturing advantages over disk I4 butotherwise the disks may be substituted one for the other and disk 50 maybe substituted for disk 40, 23 or 35.

It is to be understood that in the foregoing description and in theaccompanying claims the words phonograph disk are used to designateeither a sound record or a sound record blank, in the form of a disk.Additionally it is pointed out that while the various inserts may be ofany desired thickness it is preferred that they lie within the planesrepresented by the side surfaces of the fracturable base members. Thenthe disks of the invention, when in stacked relation will lie at againstone another and the stack may be handled without breakage of the disksas the stack is gripped tight in the hands.

The insert of relatively soft non-fracturable material is an advantagewhenapplying a trademark or other identifying mark or data to thephonograph disk of the invention. A trade-mark or the like may bestamped or embossed into the insert supported portion of the coatingwithout damage to the disk.

Having thus set forth the nature of my invention, what I claim is:

1. In a phonograph disk, a base comprising a member of fracturablematerial having a relatively large centrally located openingtherethrough, a perforated insert of punchable material in said opening,and a film of sound groove receiving material over each side of saidmember and said insert sealing the latter in place in said opening.l

2. In a phonograph disk, 4a base comprising a member of glass having arelatively large opening therethrough, an insert of punchable materialin said opening and having a locating opening therethrough, and a film0f sound groove receiving material over each side of the member and saidinsert sealing the latter in place in said relatively large opening.

3. In a phonograph disk, a base comprising a member of fracturablematerial having a large opening therethrough, a perforated insert ofpunchable material located in said opening, said insert having aninterrupted edge whereby it retains itself in said large opening byyielding contact with the edges thereof, and a coating of sound groovereceiving material over each side of said member and said insert andentering the interrupted edge portions of the latter and sealing the'insert in the large opening.

4. In an insert for the purpose described, a plate-like body of amaterial adapted to have an opening punched therethrough without causingfracture of the material, and said body having a plurality of spacedslits entering therein from the. outer peripherial edge thereof wherebythe body is radially compressible.

5. In an insert for the purpose described, a plate-like body ofnon-metallic material adapted to have an opening punched therethroughwithout causing fracture thereof, land said body having a roughenedperipherial edge portion to grip the sides of an opening when the bodyis forced therein.

6. A phonograph disk comprising a body having an inserted portion, and acoat of record groove receiving material over each side of said body andsaid inserted portion thereby sealing the latter in place in the body.

7. In an insert for the purpose described, a plate-like body of amaterial adapted to have an opening punched therethrough without causingfracture of the material, said body having a slit entering therein fromthe outer peripherial edge thereof.

8. In an insert for the purpose described, a plate-like body of amaterial adapted to have u an opening punched therethrough withoutcausing fracture of the material, and said body having a slit thereinproviding for radial compression of the body.

9. In a phonograph disk, a body comprising a flat fracturable basemember having a centrally located opening therethrough and a film ofsound groove receiving material on each of its sides, a perforatedinsert of punchable material in said opening, means fixing said insertin said opening, and said insert and means located entirely within theplanes defining the two sides of said body whereby a plurality of saiddisks may be stacked fiat one on the other in engagement over the entireadjacent surfaces of said bodies.

10. In a phonograph disk, a fiat sheet of glass having a large openingtherethrough, a perforated insert of fiat breboard in said opening,means sealing said insert in said opening, a film of sound groovereceiving material on each side of said sheet of glass. and said insertand means sealing it in place lying wholly within the planes representedby the outer surfaces of said films whereby a plurality of said disksmay be stacked at on cne another.

11. In a phonograph disk, a flat sheet of glass having a large openingtherethrough, a perforated insert in said opening of a material adaptedto have a hele punched therethrough without danger of fracture of thematerial, means sealing said insert in said opening, a film of soundgroove receiving material on each side of said sheet of glass, and saidinsert and the means sealing it in place lying wholly within the planesrepresented by the outer surfaces of said lms whereby a plurality ofsaid disks may be stacked fiat one on the other.

12. In a phonograph disk, a base comprising a member of fracturablematerial having a plurality of large openings therethrough inwardly ofthe sound groove area thereof, a perforated insert of punchable materialin each of said openings, and a film of sound groove receiving materialover each side of said member and said inserts and sealing the latter inplace in said openings.

13. In a phonograph disk, a base comprising a.

member of fracturable material having a plurality of large openingstherethrough inwardly ofthe sound ground area thereof, a perforatedinsert of punchable material in each of said openings, means securingsaid inserts in said openings, and a film of sound groove receivingmaterial on each side of said member.

14. In a phonograph disk, a body comprising a fiat fracturable basemember having a centrally located opening therethrough and a film ofsound groove receiving material on each of its sides, a perforatedinsert of punchable material in said opening, said insert having a.broken edge, and said film including an integral portion extending intothe broken edge of said insert and onto said insert and sealing thelatter in place.

15. In a phonograph disk, a base comprising a member of fracturablematerial having a large opening therethrough, a perforated insert ofpunchable material located in said opening, one of the edges of saidinsert and the edge of said opening interrupted, and a coating of soundgroove receiving material over each side of said member and insert andentering said interrupted edge portion and sealing the insert in saidopening.

16. In a phonograph record blank, a base comprising a member offracturable material having an opening therethrough, a perforated insertof punchable material in said opening, a coating over each side of saidmember and said insert and sealing the latter in said opening, and saidcoating of a lacquer-like material adapted to have a sound groove cuttherein by a recording stylus.

RAYMOND S. DECH.

